Radiation imaging apparatus and control method thereof

Abstract

A radiation imaging apparatus has a camera installed on a gantry, and a method creates volume data of a subject through images of the subject photographed by the camera and calculates an optimum dose of radiation based on the volume data of the subject. The radiation imaging apparatus includes the gantry, and the camera installed on the gantry to photograph a subject.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A radiation imaging apparatus comprising:
 a gantry; 
 a camera installed on the gantry, and configured to photograph a subject; 
 a radiation emitter; 
 a display; and 
 a controller for controlling the camera to photograph the subject at multiple angles, to create volume data from images of the subject acquired by the camera, to calculate a dose of radiation that is to be irradiated to a scan zone of the subject based on the volume data of the subject, to control the radiation emitter to scanning the subject with the calculated dose of radiation, to generate a scanned image of the subject, and to control the display to display the scanned image of the subject. 
 
     
     
       2. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , further comprising a controller configured to rotate the gantry, and to drive the camera to photograph the subject while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       3. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls driving of the camera to photograph the subject at predetermined regular time intervals while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       4. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller controls driving of the camera to photograph the subject at predetermined regular angles while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       5. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 2 , wherein the controller creates volume data of the subject from photographed images of the subject acquired from the camera while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       6. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller calculates the dose of radiation based on volume data of a scan zone of the subject. 
     
     
       7. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 5 , wherein the controller divides a volume of the subject into a plurality of volumes in a direction perpendicular to a driving axis of the gantry, obtains a center line of each divided volume, and adjusts a position of the center line of each divided volume including a scan zone of the subject such that the center line of each divided volume matches the driving axis of the gantry. 
     
     
       8. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 7 , wherein the controller obtains the center line of each divided volume by connecting center points of slices constituting each divided volume to each other. 
     
     
       9. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 7 , further comprising a tiltable cradle upon which the subject is disposed, wherein the controller adjusts tilting of the cradle such that the center line of each divided volume including the scan zone of the subject matches the driving axis of the gantry. 
     
     
       10. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera includes a plurality of cameras are installed on the gantry at predetermined regular distance intervals. 
     
     
       11. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 10 , further comprising a controller configured to create volume data of the subject from images of the subject acquired by the plurality of cameras. 
     
     
       12. The radiation imaging apparatus according to  claim 1 , wherein the camera includes an infrared camera. 
     
     
       13. A control method of a radiation imaging apparatus, comprising:
 photographing a subject using a camera installed on a gantry; 
 creating volume data of the subject from images of the subject acquired by the camera; 
 calculating a dose of radiation that is to be irradiated to a scan zone of the subject, based on the volume data of the subject; 
 scanning the subject with the calculated dose of radiation; 
 generating a scanned image of the subject; and 
 displaying the scanned image of the subject on a display. 
 
     
     
       14. The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein the photographing of the subject comprises:
 rotating the gantry; and 
 driving the camera to photograph the subject while the gantry rotates. 
 
     
     
       15. The control method according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving of the camera to photograph the subject while the gantry rotates comprises controlling driving of the camera to photograph the subject at predetermined time intervals while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       16. The control method according to  claim 14 , wherein the driving of the camera to photograph the subject while the gantry rotates comprises controlling driving of the camera to photograph the subject at predetermined angles while the gantry rotates. 
     
     
       17. The control method according to  claim 13 , wherein the calculating of the dose of radiation that is to be irradiated to the scan zone of the subject, based on the volume data of the subject, comprises:
 dividing the volume of the subject into a plurality of volumes; 
 obtaining a center line of each divided volume; 
 adjusting a position of the center line of each divided volume including the scan zone of the subject such that the center line of each divided volume matches a driving axis of the gantry; and 
 calculating the dose of radiation based on each divided volume including the scan zone of the subject. 
 
     
     
       18. The control method according to  claim 17 , wherein the dividing of the volume of the subject into the plurality of volumes comprises dividing the volume of the subject into the plurality of volumes in a direction perpendicular to the driving axis of the gantry. 
     
     
       19. The control method according to  claim 17 , wherein the obtaining of the center line of each divided volume comprises:
 obtaining center points of slices constituting each divided volume; and 
 obtaining the center line of each divided volume by connecting the center points of the slices to each other. 
 
     
     
       20. The control method according to  claim 17 , wherein the adjusting of the position of the center line of each divided volume including the scan zone of the subject such that the center line of each divided volume matches the driving axis of the gantry comprises adjusting tilting of a tiltable cradle on which the subject is positioned such that the center line of each divided volume including the scan zone of the subject matches the driving axis of the gantry.